Chasing the Sun
by krystle123
Summary: She sighed and gave a small, weary smile. "The same thing that happened to me only a short while ago. Apollo has been kidnapped." Will Solace has finally been given a quest that promises to be full of twists and turns. What's the worst that could happen?
1. Meet Will Solace, Son of Apollo

**I realized there weren't many fanfics about Will Solace, son of Apollo, so I decided to write one. I worked hard on this, hope you enjoy it!  
I actually planned to upload this way sooner, but the past week has been really busy. ****  
Special thanks to my beta, B.D. Legan, you're awesome! Check out her stories, everyone.**

**Oh, and this is set in between TTC and BoTL.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own PJO or any of its characters. **

* * *

**Will POV **

Birthdays could mean a whole number of things to demigods. It could signify _another _year that you've been introduced to the crazy, dangerous world of half-bloods. It could represent _another _year closer to a terrifying prophecy you must take part in when you turn sixteen. Or, it could simply mark _another _year of survival, one more year tucked under your belt, because you never know when something could strike.

And coming up soon was _my_ birthday, the day I turned seventeen. Hmm, what could I say about this year's birthday? I could already drive, and I couldn't drink. It didn't mark any special prophecy. Let's face it; it wasn't exactly a special date for me. I guessed it would be like all the other birthdays: normal, which is sort of disappointing.

I craved for adventure, and that's never much of a good thing for demigods. What about all those half-bloods that died on quests or prophecies? I'm sure they would have happily exchanged places with me, doing nothing at camp.

I shouldn't complain so much. Don't get me wrong, I was glad I wasn't the child of the Great Prophecy. I felt bad for Percy, I really did. I just wanted to do something more. It'd been ages since I'd been on an actual quest. Oh man, lying on my bunk, bored to death, I'd have loved to go on one of those. Oh, and ADHD didn't help matters any.

So, here I am, a six foot, sandy haired, blue eyed, sixteen – soon to be seventeen– son of Apollo, wanting adventure. I didn't realize until later, that I would get just that, the adventure of my life. I knew I wasn't a big deal like Percy Jackson, Thalia Grace, or even Nico di Angelo, but it's not only the big guns who have tales to tell. This is _my_ story.

* * *

She stood on Half-Blood Hill, beside Thalia's pine. The Golden Fleece shimmered softly under the starry sky; Peleus, the dragon guardian, came over to sniff her. He growled quietly, but knew the figure was no threat. A puff of smoke rose from his nostrils as he curled his tail around the tree. Settling down beside the Fleece, he completely ignored the woman robed in the silvery gown.

She stared at the moon, pale and glowing against the darkness. Looking up to it, her beautiful yet worried eyes glinted silver like the moonlight. Her long auburn hair whipped around her gently as a chilling wind swept across the land. A silver longbow and a fully loaded quiver rested on her back.

"In fortnight's time, the moon will once again be full," she whispered sadly to herself. The nighttime breeze blew away her words as soon as they passed her lips. She sighed anxiously, her warm breath clouding in the cool air.

"Chiron," she acknowledged without turning around, a slight grin playing on her face, her previous unrest momentarily forgotten.

She heard the clopping of his hooves falter as the chestnut centaur heard his name. Without skipping another beat, he climbed up the last few steps and stopped beside the pine. She faced him as he put out his right hand, meeting it with her's.

"Lady Artemis, how lovely to see you again," he greeted her warmly, his kind eyes twinkling under the stars.

"Chiron, 'tis wonderful to see you as well," Artemis replied curtly. She smiled, but it was a sad smile.

"No longer in child form, I see," he remarked, remembering the form the goddess liked to take, that of a twelve year old girl.

"Yes, well, I did not think it would suit my needs at this point in time."

Chiron briefly nodded, then said, "It would be pleasant to have you stop by the camp just to say hello, but I figure with your worried face and this late night hour, it simply is not so. Is something amiss?"

"As usual, you have a good eye for detail. I have a dilemma, although it is private. As a goddess, I cannot directly interfere with it, as the Ancient Laws state. Therefore, I would like to request a few half-bloods to set out on a quest for me. But it is of utmost importance that it must be kept as discreet as possible. No one knows I am here."

"I see," the centaur said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "May I ask what the quest involves?"

"My twin brother," Artemis answered shortly. "Apollo."

Chiron wasn't satisfied with that answer, and it rang clearly on his face. "My lady, if the campers are to be successful on this quest, we need a bit more information than that."

"I understand," the maiden goddess whispered, her hair shining under the moonlight. "It is a little hard for me to cope, you see. He can be annoying at times… but he is still my sibling."

"What happened?" Chiron asked again. He felt a growing sense of dread deep inside the pit of his stomach.

She sighed and gave a small, weary smile. "The same thing that happened to me only a short while ago. Apollo has been kidnapped."

**[A/N]: ****So, did you like it? Hate it? Either way, please review! This is my first fanfic that is not a one-shot and that I'm actually planning to continue. But first, let's see how many people are actually interested in this before I post the next chapter. (Which basically means, PLEASE REVIEW if you want to read the next chapter.) Thanks for reading!**


	2. Kidnapped

**Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy it. :)  
Also, I just want to make it clear in the previous chapter, Will was NOT watching Artemis and Chiron. I tried to make a page break, but it didn't work.**

"Kidnapped?" Chiron murmured in disbelief. His eyes were wide with surprise, curiosity brimming upon his face. "How could he have been kidnapped? And who would dare do such a thing?"

Artemis was silent for a moment, her eyes closed, her brows furrowed. She seemed to be debating something.

Finally, she opened her eyes. "Come with me, I will have to show you." While she uttered these words, Chiron noticed a silver chariot, led by silver deer, approaching them from the sky. It landed smoothly beside the goddess of the hunt. With the grace of a jungle cat, she boarded the chariot and took the reins. The centaur joined her, perplexed. His two rear legs were hanging out, as was his tail. They simply wouldn't fit inside the chariot.

"Ahem, my lady," he coughed, his tail swishing.

"Oh yes, of course. How forgetful of me." She snapped her fingers, and the chariot elongated, allowing all of Chiron's mass to board the vessel.

Their ride took to the air, zooming along so fast, that everything turned to a blur. When they stopped, they landed in a grassy meadow ringed with trees. Artemis and Chiron stepped off the chariot and headed to a small round pond that was in the middle of the clearing, glinting in the moonlight. The silver deer stayed nearby, grazing.

The goddess and the centaur reached the pond. Artemis, crouching down, gazed at her reflection, the bright moon shining behind her. Chiron watched her curiously, but did not comment, his eyes following even the slightest movement.

She backed away from the pond, so that only the moon was reflected onto its waters. Both of the figures stood still, aware that something was about to happen. Chiron stared at the moon's reflection in the pond, seemingly immobile, forever frozen in the dark sky.

Suddenly, it began to shimmer and waver slightly, although not a wind blew in that meadow. The water grew murky until nothing could be seen, then it cleared up, sparkling like crystals.

The reflection of the moon was gone by then, only to be replaced by that of a young man. He looked about eighteen, with sandy hair and a handsome face, though you could see he'd been through tough times. His face was smudged with dirt and decorated with various cuts and bruises, his clothes ripped and ragged. He was leaning against some sort of wall, but his surroundings were black and couldn't be made out properly. His eyes were closed, yet obviously not sleeping. Each breath was ragged and sharp.

"Brother," Artemis said quietly. Chiron couldn't decide if she didn't want to alarm him, or if she didn't have the strength to say it louder. The goddess, seeing her twin in this state, was looking pretty shaky herself. She was trembling, her hands quivering.

"Maybe it would be better for you to sit down," the centaur said, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I am fine, thank you. It was just the shock of seeing him like this. He wasn't like this before."

Apollo finally opened his eyes, quickly scanning the room in which he was standing. "What's all this noise? Have you fools come to challenge me again? I am a god you know! I demand to be let go!" Then he noticed his sister.

"Sis! I knew you'd contact me again!" He attempted a smile, but it hurt too much, so he stopped.

"Yes, brother, I am here," she said quietly.

"Lord Apollo, do you have any idea as to whom your kidnapper might be?" Chiron asked. Apollo seemed to notice him for the first time.

"Chiron, what a sight for sore eyes!" he exclaimed, his lips slowly forming what smile he could muster. "I don't' know who it is. They've not revealed themselves to me yet. I think they're afraid of me, personally–"

Artemis placed a hand to her temple and closed her eyes. "Brother, please just skip to the end."

Apollo looked to his twin, and shook his head. "They're acting for someone. They've never said his name, only him. And they're strong, very strong. Some of the strongest monsters I've seen in a long time." He paused for a moment, running his hands through his hair out of habit. "They're very old, that much I can be sure of. And they certainly know how to rough a guy up." He motioned to his abused body.

At the news that her brother was being tortured, Artemis' eyes darkened. She hid it by asking a question. After all, there was enough time for revenge later. "Haven't you tried to contact your children?"

"I tried. I have no idea if any of them received the dreams I sent them." An anxious expression settled on his face.

"We can only hope," Chiron muttered.

Apollo sharply turned, and his back went ridged. "I hear footsteps. They're coming. Chiron, Sis, go. Now."

Suddenly, his clear sky blue eyes seemed to glow, and their color darkened into a deep sapphire. "One last word of warning: beware the full moon." His eyes turned back to normal again, and there was a mild look of surprise, followed by a look of understanding on his face. Artemis and Chiron wanted to question him about what he had said, but they could hear his captors drawing near as well.

With a wave of the goddess' hand and a few murmured words of Ancient Greek, their contact with Apollo was terminated. The pond became still once more, the moon resting peacefully upon its surface.

Chiron was even more worried than before. "Who could his kidnappers be? Surely there's more than one. And what are their motives?"

"I have my suspicions as to who his captors are, but I cannot say for sure. Although we know there are beings powerful and clever enough to capture a god." Artemis' gaze slid from the centaur's face to the sky, no doubt remembering the time the titan Atlas had taken her captive. "As for their motives… Other than the Titan War, there is not much to go on."

"Could it be Atlas again, or one of the other Titans? Maybe even Kronos himself?" Chiron suggested.

"Perhaps," she said. "Yet I have a feeling that it wasn't him, at least not directly. Chiron, promise me you will keep this a secret. It's the middle of the Titan War and we must get him back, quickly. We need all the help we can get against Kronos. And as you know, the Olympians aren't very… understanding of predicaments like these. It is very important to tell only those who are worthy, those who are involved, and those who you have confidence in."

"Yes, my lady." He wondered how much Artemis wanted him back because he was her twin, and how much she wanted him back to defeat Kronos.

"Not all of the gods and goddesses know about this. Only the ones I trust, or the ones that have found out. Either way, only a handful know. Zeus, Poseidon, Athena, Hermes and Hades are among the few. I'm not sure how Hades heard the rumor, but if Hades knows, then we can be certain Persephone does as well. Then maybe so does her mother, Demeter…" The goddess trailed off, realizing how hard it would be to keep her twin's kidnapping hushed up.

"Don't fret, the half-bloods will find him," Chiron said gently yet firmly. "Have faith in them. They will find your brother before the rumors start getting too wild and before the secret gets out."

"Thank you, Chiron. I am confident in the young heroes' abilities. After all, I was saved by heroes myself." Artemis smiled, though it did not reach her eyes. "Now, let's go back to the camp. It's almost dawn, and some of your campers have a quest to prepare for."

Soon, the chariot landed lightly beside the pine tree on Half-Blood Hill. With many thoughts on his mind, Chiron got off and bid a quick goodbye to the goddess and made his way back to the Big House.

"Farewell, Chiron. Until we meet again," she replied. And with those parting words, the chariot took off into the ever-lightening sky, as quick as a moonbeam. The trainer of heroes followed its path with his eyes until it appeared as far away as the stars.

**Sorry it's a little short, I'll make it longer next time. Review, review, review please! :)**


	3. Master Archer at Work

**Chapter number 3! Hope you enjoy it!**

**Thanks to B. D. Legan for beta-ing! :D**

**Disclaimer: I do not own PJO.**

Will Solace drew back his long bow until the arrow's feathers were scraping his sun-tanned cheek. Taking careful aim, he let loose, sending the arrow flying. All over the archery range, campers stopped what they were doing to see the master archer at work.

_THUNK!_ The arrow quivered for a moment when it hit the target, then became still. _Bull's eye._

After the perfect shot, some of the newer demigods who had been watching, turned away. But the more experienced ones knew that Will wasn't done.

Deliberately, he selected another arrow from his quiver, his fingers lingeringly over each, until he felt the perfect one. Will could be fast if he wanted to, but now he took his time. Aiming carefully at the same target, he fired.

_BAM!_ It hit the target with an even greater force than before. There was a moment of silence as everyone absorbed what they had just witnessed. Then, someone behind him started applauding loudly.

Travis Stoll, his good friend, stood there clapping, a dumbfounded expression on his face. Sure, Travis had seen Will do amazing things with a bow and arrow before, but the skill of his feats never ceased to fall anything short of amazing. For Will's arrow on the archery target was right dead center, and it had split the other arrow_ straight in half._

"And that's how it's done, boys and girls!" Travis said theatrically, ignoring Will's looks of protest. "Give it up for Will Solace, the best archer at Camp Half-Blood! And possibly the world! Aside from Artemis and his father, of course," he added as a side thought.

Another pair of hands joined Travis', this time from Percy Jackson, the black haired, green eyed son of Poseidon. He had a big grin on his face. "Whoo! You go, Will!" he shouted. Slowly, all the half-bloods at the archery range, new and old, started clapping and cheering for the son of Apollo.

The lighthearted applause started to fade away, as the welcome disruption of Will's talent wore off. It wasn't every day that the campers cheered for Will, today was special- it was his birthday.

Travis went back to shooting arrows at his own target. Will watched him as he shot arrow after arrow, some hitting the edge of the target, some missing altogether. To put it simply, he was horrible at it.

"Keep up the good work Trav, you're getting there," Will encouraged, a bright smile on his face.

Sweat beaded on Travis' brow as he pulled back his arms and let another arrow fly. It veered to the left, narrowly missing Clarisse, who immediately retaliated.

"HEY! WHO DID THAT?" she yelled. Her eyes darted around, but Travis was already hiding behind Will. Still fuming, Clarisse reluctantly went back to practicing archery.

"Whew, that was close," Travis said, stepping out from behind his friend. "Anyway Will, you're one to talk." He snorted. "We all know I suck at archery. The only reason I'm even at the range right now is 'cuz I need to hide from Katie Gardner."

Will raised an eyebrow. "Katie _again_? Really? Haven't you tortured the poor girl enough?"

"All I did was jack her watering can! I mean, c'mon! It's just a stupid watering can. Apparently it's all _'special'_ and '_from her mother'_ and stuff," he said mockingly, though Will could see a slight change come over him as he talked about Katie. Was he _blushing_? "And the Easter egg prank was a long time ago! Man, that girl can hold a grudge."

"Trav," Will started innocently. "Why is your face turning red?"

Travis' lanky frame stiffened and his eyes darted around nervously. "Wh-what are you talking about, dude?" he stammered nervously, gulping audibly.

"Well…" Will drawled. His azure eyes sparkled with laughter, and behind his embarrassment, Travis noticed they shone just like the sun. "I just noticed that when you talk about a certain daughter of Demeter, your cheeks flush."

Travis stared at Will, his mouth opened. His mop of curly brown hair hung in front of his deep blue eyes, so Will couldn't really see what emotion his friend was feeling.

"Just because you're three years older, taller than me, and better at archery, doesn't mean I can't beat you up."

"Fine, I'll drop it," he said, putting his hands in the air as a sign of defeat.

"Okay," Travis admitted. "Maybe I _can't _beat you up. But I can try."

"Chill, man. I said I'd drop it, okay?"

"Good. So what were we talking about again?" Travis paused for a moment, scratching his head. "Oh yeah, my lame attempt with a bow and arrow."

"'_Lame_' isn't the word I would use," Will said mischievously, a gleam in his eye. "More like _'inability to shoot'_, or maybe _'lack of success with archery_', or – oh, I know! How about '_utter failure'_?"

Travis rolled his eyes. "You don't have to rub in it. I think I liked it better a while ago when you were encouraging me, not crushing my self-esteem."

"I was just being a good friend by trying to help you. Maybe with a little practice you can get a lot better. Who knows?"

"Yeah, right, Robin Hood! Don't give me any of that bull," Travis muttered. "Whatever. I have my own talents from my _own_ father." His eyes gleamed, and he grinned mischievously. "Hmm… that gives me an idea…"

Will snapped his fingers. "Snap out of it, Trav."

"I can't help it. I'm a son of Hermes. It's in my blood."

"I'm a son of Apollo, so archery is in my blood. So is writing, poetry, music, healing," Will rambled on. "That sort of stuff. But you don't see me singing and spouting random bits of poems, do you?"

"Yeah… I've always wondered about that. I can just imagine you skipping around camp, whistling a melody or reciting a haiku you just made up," Travis said with a chuckle. "Oh! I know! You'd be sitting at the Main Hall eating, then all of a sudden you'd burst into a song about the food! Like High School Musical! Whoa, I can totally see that!"

"No haikus. Ever. Have you heard my dad's poems? Ugh." Will shuddered. "No offense dad!" He called out, suddenly feeling a bit uneasy.

Travis laughed. "Ok then, let's get back to archery. Maybe you can teach me. You're so good, even if your dad wasn't Apollo, you would still have pro skills."

Will made a kind of grunt that Travis interpreted it as, "Yeah right."

"Seriously! Dude, you're even better than Lee Fletcher, Michael Yew, or anyone else in your cabin! The only reason you're not head counselor is because Lee's had more experience and quests. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll get another quest someday."

"Right. In all my years that I've been here, I've only gotten a quest once, and you know how bad that's been. It's not my fault I came to Camp Half-Blood when I was fifteen. It was a miracle I even made it without monsters killing me."

"At least you're not a child of the Big Three," Travis said, placing a hand on Will's shoulder. "And I always knew you were a son of Apollo, even before he claimed you. I saw it the moment you held a bow in your hands."

"And I always knew you were the worst archery shot in the world," Will responded.

"Aside from me, you mean," another voice said. Travis and Will turned around. It was Percy again.

"Hey, Perce," Travis greeted. "That's not true. I've seen you shoot before, you're not as bad as I am."

"Oh yes I am. Trust me, I'm terrible at it. Besides, I've only been here for what, two years now? And you're an old timer."

"I don't think so. So what if I was here longer than you? I bet you've already been on more quests than I have," Travis rebutted.

"What does that have anything to do with it? I'm terrible at archery, and you know it!"

"Fine, you can be terrible, but I'm the worse than you are! You've seen me shoot. That speaks for itself."

"You've seen me shoot too! I suck, period," Percy said, flailing his arms in the air.

"Oh yeah? Let's have an archery contest to see who shoots the worst!"

"Bring it!"

Will tried to calm them down, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "C'mon guys, really? A competition about who can shoot the worst?"

"What kind of contest would that be? That's a stupid idea. I suppose it was yours, wasn't it, Seaweed Brain?" A girl with blond hair and stormy grey eyes broke into their conversation.

"Oh, hey Annabeth. When did you get here?" Percy asked, a big grin on his face.

"Well, if you weren't so absorbed in your argument, you would've realized I came from the Big House. Chiron wants the head counselors to meet in the rec room. Some big announcement he wants to make, I guess."

"We'll settle this later then, Seaweed Brain," Travis mocked. Then he winked, to show he didn't really mean it. Apparently Percy saw it, and he smiled slightly.

"Fine by me."

"Then let's go," Annabeth said impatiently. She briefly glanced to the sky. "The sky doesn't look so good, does it?"

Will looked up as well, and saw that she was right. The clear blue sky overhead was now a dark grey, and he could hear thunder rumbling in the distance.

When did that happen? He wondered.

"I thought there were spells that kept bad weather away from the camp," Percy said nervously. At that moment, lightning flashed and he jumped in the air.

Annabeth bit back a laugh. "Yeah, but obviously this can't be normal weather. Zeus must be angry for some reason. Then again, that's pretty much his usual state, angry."

Travis bobbed his head, his curly hair flopping. "It's been like this for a few days now. I haven't seen the sun in like, forever."

Annabeth nodded absentmindedly, glancing at her watch. "We should head to the Big House now," she said, and she started walking. Travis and Percy scrambled to catch up with her.

"I'll just stay here then," Will called out awkwardly. "Since I'm not a head counselor and all…"

"Oh, didn't I mention?" Annabeth asked. "All children of Apollo are required to come to the council, too. Do me a favor and round up your siblings, will you?"

Will looked surprised. "Uh, sure. No problem. Meet you there."

With that, Annabeth sharply turned around and began walking again, with Percy and Travis by her side.

A few minutes later, Will arrived at the rec room with his brothers and sisters. Chiron was there, of course, talking to Mr. D and Argus, the head of security. Clarisse La Rue was yelling at Travis; something about an arrow almost hitting her. His brother Connor laughed while watching them. Silena Beauregard and Beckendorf talked quietly with each other, leaning together closely, and Percy and Annabeth were wincing as Grover played his reed pipes for them. Everyone stopped what they were doing when they saw the Apollo cabin arrive.

Will sat between Lee and Michael, his brothers. Everyone else was already seated.

"Now that we are all here," Chiron began, a grim expression on his face, his hands folded in his lap. "I have a grave announcement to tell you." His eyes were filled with worry, and he kept glancing at the door. "Recently, the camp has been visited by Artemis, goddess of the hunt." Chiron shushed the flurry of whispers caused by what he said. "She came here to tell me something very important, and must be kept as secret as possible. Do you all understand?" Solemn nods were all around, and he continued. "Good. The reason that I've called you here, especially the children of Apollo, is because…" Will was the only one who noticed the centaur paused slightly. "Is because Apollo has been kidnapped."

Gasps, shouts, and exclamations of "WHAT THE HADES?" and "HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?", most of which came from the Apollo cabin, were all that could be heard after that statement. Chiron watched the campers glumly, not making any move to quiet the campers. Will could only sit there, stunned. Someone kidnapped his father? Right in the middle of the Titan War, too! It couldn't be! Who was powerful enough to take an immortal god?

Eventually, they all quieted down. Lee Fletcher, the current head of the Apollo cabin, spoke up. "Chiron, explain this. How could someone kidnap my father? Who? Why?"

"We don't have all the answers, Lee. I suspect that there may be more than one kidnapper. I'll explain it in greater detail at a later time. You see, because of the Titan War, we don't have many leads."

Michael Yew interrupted. "So basically you're saying that we don't know anything about where my father is or who took him?"

Chiron looked uncomfortable. "Well, if you put it that way, then yes. If there wasn't a war right now, we might have some suspicions. But since there is a war, the entities who've taken him might have settled for any god, so long as it would weaken our forces."

"Right," Beckendorf agreed. "Maybe they just chose Apollo 'cuz he seemed like the easiest target at the time."

"And as for how this is possible," Percy started, encouraged by a nod from Chiron. "I think we all know there are beings that are more than capable of this."

"At any rate, we must take a quest to rescue him. We have to find him before there is need of him," Chiron said curtly.

"I'm in," Lee said immediately. "He's my dad and I'm head counselor. I have to go."

"So?" Michael argued, his brows furrowed. "He's my dad too. He's the father of all of us." He swept his arm out at everyone from cabin seven.

"Wait," Silena said. "I think only one representative of the Apollo cabin should go. That way, the other members of the quest will be emotionally detached."

"And is that necessarily a good thing?" Mr. D drawled. He looked bored. It was the first thing he had said this whole time.

"Yes, it is," Annabeth said thoughtfully. "If someone threatens to harm Apollo in some way, his son or daughter might not think clearly. Then the other half-bloods can calm them down."

"Fine, only one child of Apollo then. Which one of you guys would like to volunteer?" Connor asked.

"I'm going," Lee and Michael said simultaneously.

"We need to get this quest started immediately," Chiron said.

"Hurry up and make up your minds, sons of Apollo. I'm getting sleepy." Dionysus yawned and rubbed his eyes with a pudgy hand.

All Hades erupted when they heard a new voice say, "I'll go."

**Last chapter, there were only a couple of reviews... Let's try for more! Review, review, review please! Thanks! :D**


	4. None Will Be Left After Chasing the Sun

_Yay, I uploaded! Thanks to my awesome beta, B. D. Legan. Get well soon!  
Finally, the prophecy! I know it's quite long... but I just had to add those extra lines. :)  
Hope you enjoy it!_

_I forgot to do the disclaimers for the psat few chapters, so: I do not own PJO. :( This stands for the whole story._

**Will POV **

My cheeks reddened as everyone turned to me. Why in Zeus' name did I blurt those words out?

"You, Will?" Michael raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, why not? I'm a son of Apollo too, if you haven't noticed." I retorted, a bit more sharply than I intended.

"You just didn't seem the type to volunteer, if you know what I mean," Lee said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Actually, I wasn't going to. Something just… I don't know. Something just came over me, I guess. It just feels right, like I was meant to do this."

Everyone looked at me skeptically. I could only imagine what they were thinking. _What in Hades is he smoking?_ "Ok, I know I don't have as much experience, but I can do this. Besides, Lee and Michael are needed here, to prepare for the Titan War. I know I can lead this quest." The gut feeling I had about this was getting stronger. I had to do this.

"Will," Chiron said gently. "We all know what happened on your previous quest."

"That was _two years ago_! I wasn't ready then!" I said desperately, unwilling to look back on that memory. "Please, give me another chance."

I looked at Lee pleadingly, and he met my gaze. A flash of understanding passed between us. "If Will thinks he can do this quest, I know he can. I'm stepping down."

I smiled, hope sparking in my chest.

Michael crossed his arms and said, "Me too. I have a feeling I'm gonna regret this though…" I raised an eyebrow at him. He raised his hands in defeat. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. Good luck, Will."

"Thanks, Mike," I said.

"Then it's settled. Will is leading this quest." Travis uttered the words I gave up on hearing a long time ago.

I grinned, then realized everyone was staring at me, _again._

"Oh yeah, so, um… I guess I should I head on up to the Big House attic…" I trailed off. Clarisse snickered.

"Why yes, yes of course! You can go right now!" Chiron said with a shake of his tail.

I quickly scurried out of the room, and climbed on up into the attic. It was mustier than I remembered, and filled with old artifacts from quests. It was also really dark, since there was no sunlight shining through the window. I frowned. I couldn't recall the last time I'd seen the sun. A few days ago, maybe? A week?

My eyes travelled from the window to a figure sitting on a stool beside it, and I snapped out of my reverie. There she was: the Oracle of Delphi. In a _tie dye dress_, none-the-less.

She looked exactly the same as the last time I saw her, a withered mummy of an old lady. I wasn't sure what to do next, so I spoke.

"Uh, hi. I'm Will Solace, son of Apollo, Pisces, um…" I trailed off for a moment, trying to regain my composure. "Sorry to bother you and all, I was just wondering, h-how can I s-save my father?" I stuttered on that last part, and I mentally slapped myself. It was the Oracle of Delphi for the gods' sake! I'm pretty sure you don't just go up to a mummy and say, _"Hey, how can I help my dad?"_ Much less stutter while doing it. I needed to work on my people skills.

Suddenly, she opened her mouth, and a green mist started pouring out in tendrils.

_Will Solace, son of Apollo,_ her voice rasped. I jumped, and looked around sheepishly. Good thing nobody– no _living _body, I corrected myself – saw that. I realized the voice was only in my head, like the time the Oracle spoke to Zoë Nightshade.

I gulped. The green mist curled around my legs, and it shrouded the floor in fog.

The Oracle seemed to stare at me with blank, lifeless eyes. Then she spoke:

_You shall settle an ancient enemy's wrath,_

_You and three others must venture the path,_

_Your father's past you shall never know,_

_Until the Sun gets what he's owed._

_Young half-bloods, look up to the sky, _

_Old myths may fade, although never die._

_By solstice's eve, you must return the light,_

_Lest the earth darkens to eternal night,_

_The Sun shall rise, let its will be done,_

_Else none will be left after chasing the Sun._

Her mouth closed abruptly, and the green mist disappeared. I blinked. Well, that prophecy was… _creepy._ Especially the last two lines... If I interpreted them right, unless the Sun's will is done, it could mean that no one would survive this quest… I shook my head, trying to clear that thought.

I mean, I knew prophecies, and therefore quests, could be dangerous and unclear, but c'mon! My dad was the god of prophecies, and this quest was for him! You'd think he'd make it a bit easier, but no, seems like this prophecy was gonna be as tough as the others.

I slowly walked down to the rec room tell Chiron what I'd heard. When I got in there, the campers, plus Chiron, stared at me expectantly. Even Argus, with all his eyes, gazed at me. It was quite… disturbing. Mr. D, once again, appeared disinterested.

"So…" Travis prompted. "What was the prophecy?"

"Umm…" I repeated what I'd just heard, but left out the last two lines. I thought it might freak some people out. I know it sure freaked me out.

"_You shall settle an ancient enemy's wrath,_" Percy said when I was done. "_You and three others must venture the path._ I'm guessing the ancient enemy is Apollo's. That sounds pretty straight forward to me."

"Except who is the ancient enemy?" Grover pointed out.

"Apollo had a colorful past," Annabeth mused. "There are a lot of possibilities."

"Yeah, I heard some of his lovers would rather turn into trees than get caught by him," Connor laughed. "I heard that he even had _male_ lovers too." Cabin seven gave him death glares, and he stopped abruptly.

"_Your father's past you shall never know, until the Sun gets what he's owed. _Do you know much about your father's past, Will?" Beckendorf inquired.

I paused, thinking about it. "Not, not really. Or at least not more than normal. I mean, I know the basics, I just don't go around researching info on him."

"_Young_ _half-bloods, look up to the sky, old myths may fade, though never die_. These lines confuse me the most. Why would the Oracle tell you about old myths?" Silena asked thoughtfully, brushing a raven black curl behind her ear.

"I'm not sure, to be honest. It has to be relevant in some way, though." I replied.

"Yes, keep those words close to your heart, Will," Chiron said seriously. "They could aid you in your quest."

I nodded to show that I understood.

"_By_ _solstice's eve, you shall return the light," _Clarisse recited, _"Lest the earth darkens to eternal night._ Easy. Return the "light", whatever that is, before the summer solstice. Or else…" She didn't finish, instead letting me imagine. "No pressure, Will."

"Thanks," I muttered.

Chiron swished his tail, deep in thought. "Is that it?"

I thought about denying it, but what was the use? I gave in. "Actually... there are two more lines.

_The Sun shall rise, let its will be done, else none will be left after chasing the Sun._"

Everyone was silent, and looked around uncomfortably. My last words seemed to echo around the room. _Else none will be left after chasing the Sun… _

"I see," Chiron broke the deafening silence. "No matter. Will, choose who you want to accompany you in your quest."

"Who wants to come with?" I thought about it for a moment. Who would I want, or possibly need, to come on the quest with me? The most obvious choice would be Travis, of course. "How about… eenie, meenie, miney, _Travis_."

He grinned and crossed his arms. "I'm in. What's more fun than having the fate of the whole world resting on your shoulders?"

Hmm… who else? My gut told me to go with Connor Stoll.

"Connor?" I cocked an eyebrow at him.

"Just say when, I'll be there," he answered with a nonchalant smirk.

Two down, one more to go. I scanned my eyes over everyone in the room. I had a peculiar feeling when my gaze passed over a pretty girl with hazel brown hair and forest green eyes.

"Katie, would you like to go?"

Katie Gardner looked up, surprised, and I realized she hadn't said anything this whole time. "Huh? Um, sure, why not."

Travis looked even more surprised than she did. "What?" He hissed at me.

"Shush." Travis stuck his tongue out at me and pouted. He didn't look too happy about this. I had a feeling I'd better watch my back tonight.

Chiron clapped his hands once. "Well, that's it then. You four are going on the quest. Get ready for it today, and rest up. You're leaving bright and early tomorrow morning."

_How was it? :) Review please! It's been scientifically proven to be good for you! So get healthy, and press that review button! :D_


	5. The Rule of Half Bloods

**Here's the next chapter! I just re-read my fourth chapter, and I saw a few typos in the story and in my author's note. Sorry about that. It wasn't my beta's fault, I just added some extra stuff after she edited it and I got careless in my haste to update… Silly me. I know this chapter is a bit short... but I still hope you enjoy it! **

Back in my cabin, I grabbed my bright yellow messenger bag, packing it with some ambrosia, a canteen of nectar, spare changes of clothes, about a week's worth of food and water, and some other demigod necessities. As for my weapons, I had a celestial bronze saxe knife that I usually strapped on my leg, perfectly weighted for throwing. It was long and slender—not an everyday weapon, and only used by certain kinds of people. My bow was normally fastened on my back, the same as my quiver. Both were in easy reach in case of an emergency. I really don't know what the mortals saw through the Mist. All I knew was, it had to be pretty interesting.

"Lights out!" Lee called. I looked at my watch. _Huh, ten o'clock already?_ Putting my bag and weapons aside, I crawled into my covers. Right before my head touched the pillow, I hesitated. When you're best friends with children of Hermes, you can't be too careful, am I right? Good thing I did, because it was filled with whipped cream. At least, I _thought_ it was whipped cream. I sniffed it and wrinkled my nose. Ok, definitely _not _whipped cream. Thanks, Trav, you're the best.

I asked Michael for another pillow, as I knew he always had an extra or two. Lying on my bed, I closed my eyes and willed myself to sleep, knowing I would need a good night's rest for tomorrow. I drifted off to _La La Land_ soon enough. After all that had happened, I felt like I deserved a peaceful night of sleep. But did I get it? No, of _course_ not. It would defy the rule of half-bloods: before a big quest, the leader must have one of those infamous demigod dreams. Why? Because our lives would be far more boring without them. Lucky, aren't we?

_It was dark, but there was a faint glow that permitted me to faintly see my surroundings. The room I was in was made of rough stone; it reminded me of a dungeon of some sort. And indeed, there were shackles attached to the walls, though no one was in them. The walls wavered—just for a moment, and I saw a glimpse of something else behind the grey rock. It made me guess that this "dungeon" was all an illusion. _

_After surveying the room, I became aware of a dark shape in front of me. Squinting my eyes to make it out, I saw a young man with surfer-type blonde hair and an athletic build. My mouth gaped in surprise as I realized who it was: my father, Apollo. _

_Now, I don't have the best relationship with my dad, but it's a lot better than some of the other campers. And as I gazed at him, I felt a pang in my chest. He looked the worse for wear, his shirt was basically non-existent, just strips of cloth lying limply on his torso from all the times it had tried to shield his skin from attack. His back was to me, and I saw raw, red marks—whip lashes, if I had to guess–that were already healing as I stared. I didn't know what was worse: that my father, a god, had to subject to torture like this, or that he kept re-healing himself, just to get injured again. It was just like Prometheus and the vulture who came back to eat his liver everyday. _

_I walked around him to see his face. His eyes were closed, and he looked like he was concentrating on something. At first, I thought he looked peaceful, then I noticed his fists clenched tightly at his sides, and his muscles tense all over. I realized that he must be sending this dream to me, and that small feat was taking so much of his energy to do. _

"_Dad?" I whispered. Slowly, he opened his eyes. My dad, who's known for always having something to laugh about, who's known for finding the lighter side of everything, looked just plain… worn out. The twinkle in his clear blue eyes was gone, his signature cocky grin wiped clean off his face. What in the world happened to him? _

"_Will?" He gasped, though it came out as more of a croak. "I've been trying so long to contact you! Didn't get any of my other dreams?" he asked, his brow furrowed. _

"_Not a single one," I replied, looking away. You had no idea what it was like seeing my father in the state he was in. _

"_Someone been blocking them," he muttered, almost to himself. "Will, I've got so much to tell you–" _

_Suddenly, the dream flickered. It was like a bad reception on a TV, as if something was in the way of the satellite beams. It happened rapidly, just once, but sometimes once is enough. _

_Apollo's eyes widened. "Quickly, then. Will, you've been picked to lead a quest to find me, right?" _

_I nodded mutely, unable to formulate the words to say. _

"_Good. Who does Chiron and Sis think are my kidnappers?" _

"_Umm…" I glanced up at the low ceiling to try to remember. "Chiron and Artemis think that it's 'cause of the Titan War. That maybe you were picked, just because they had a chance to nab you." _

_My dad looked offended. "Of course, that's what _they_ think. I'm telling you, they chose me for a reason." _

"_Go on…" I prompted. Inside, I smiled, happy that my father still had enough in him to protect his pride. Maybe he wasn't as bad as he looked. _

"_I may be able to give you some clues as to where I'm being held captive. I don't know a lot myself, but I can try." He took a deep breath. "I feel a haiku coming on. 'Being held captive –'" _

"_No!" I said, a little too loudly. I guess being held against his will and tortured did nothing to affect his poetry. _

"_Quiet, Will!" Apollo shushed. "You may be in a dream state, but there are monsters that are able to still see you! So then, you don't want the instructions in a haiku, huh?" _

"_No thank you." I rolled my eyes. Apparently, he didn't catch it because he said, "Okay. How about I say it in a limerick? I haven't done those in a while, but since you requested it…" _

"_Really, dad, please," I said desperately. "It's fine. Just say what you have to say." _

"_If you insist," Apollo began. "I suppose the Oracle's given you a prophecy already?" _

"_Yeah." I started to repeat it, but he held up a hand. _

"_It might be better for me not to know. Just making sure. Who's accompanying you on your quest?" _

"_Travis and Connor Stoll, plus Katie Gardner." _

_My father nodded. "The Stolls, they should be a big help. And Katie… good. She'll come in handy, you can count on that." _

"_I know they're great, but how so, exactly?"_

"_Will, I'm the god of prophecies. Trust me on this. Too much detail will disrupt fate." _

"_I trust you. So, about the hints as to where you are…?" I trailed off. _

"_Right. As you can see, we're in some sort of dungeon-like place. But I think this is just all an illusion." _

"_I think so too," I said with a nod. _

"_Therefore, don't bother looking around in old underground rooms, or that sort of thing." _

"_Okay." _

_There was a moment of silence. _

"_Is that it?" I questioned._

_"Is what it?" my father replied back, his battered face puzzled. _

"_You said you had a lot to tell me." _

"_Yeah. I did." _

"_All you said was, 'Don't look underground.'" _

"_Fine then. Listen to the prophecy. Think it through. It may hold some clues for you. Like, more than it appears. Some lines may have more than one meaning, or don't mean what you think it does. All I'm saying is, be careful, because you never know what it really means." _

_I got a little confused by what he was saying, so I changed the subject. _

"_Dad… there's something that's been on my mind lately." I hesitated. "You know how the weather over Camp Half-Blood is always blue-skied and beautiful? Except now, it's gloomy and cloudy and… I can't seem to remember the last time I saw the sun." _

_Sky blue eyes stared at me in alarm, then realization set in. "So that's what they're up to!" Apollo hissed. "Will –" He was interrupted, by none other than himself. His eyes suddenly turned into the color of sapphires. Gazing in their depths, you would've thought you were drowning. He began to speak. _

_"Beware the light of Moon, beware the lost Sun, _

_Apart they are strong, entwined they are one. _

_The calm before the storm, till darkness sets in, _

_Or the Sun's son must find the missing light within." _

_Great, more prophecies. I groaned silently. When will they ever stop haunting me? An old memory (or I prefer to call it, the memory), surged to the front of my mind. I pushed it away violently. Don't think about it, don't think about it, I chanted in my head repetitively. It seemed to work. The dark feeling the memory invoked slowly ebbed away, though it left a bitter taste in my mouth. _

_While I was internally battling with myself, my dad's eyes gradually faded back to his color. _

"_I just prophesied something, didn't I?" he asked wryly. _

_I smirked, trying to ease the tension. "This quest is just chocked full of prophecies, isn't it?" _

"_Yes, yes it is." Apollo grinned, his smile full of hope. "Will, I think it's time for you to wake up now, and rescue me. Hurry, 'cause I have places to go and things to do. The sun isn't going to rise by itself, you know. Oh! That reminds me!" He fished around in the pocket of his beach shorts. "Here," he said, and thrust something shiny into my hand. "What's this?" "Keys to the sun chariot. Just in case you happen to come across it on your quest." _

"_Where exactly is it?" _

"_It's –" Apollo stopped, cocking his head. "Oops. I hear footsteps. Bye, Will, and good luck!" He slashed his arm through my body, and the last thing I saw was a dark shadow looming behind him. I couldn't help but fear for my dad as my world was thrust into darkness once more._

**Thanks so much for reading! And sorry I took so long to update... unfortunately, I'm quite busy as of now, so I probably won't update for awhile. A loooong while. Finals are coming up, big projects... yeah. :( But don't worry, next chapter is the quest. **

**Just want to note that this chapter is called "The Rule of Half-Bloods", but the chapter title does not allow hyphens.**

**Thanks to B.D. Legan, you're awesome! And thanks for taking the time to read this when you've got so much going on. **

**Please review! **


	6. Author's Note!

Author's Note:

Yes, I know this is long due, but I thought I posted it before. Turns out I didn't. Sorry.

So, things have been pretty hectic these past few months. I wasn't able to complete chapter six of Chasing the Sun. Since it's summer now, I've decided I'm going to write out the whole story first, then repost everything. Maybe rewrite some of the old chapters too. I will post them as soon as I can; I'm going on vacation and I won't have much computer access.

Therefore Chasing the Sun will officially be on hiatus. Hopefully, with the extra time, I can make this story better. I'll write another author's note when I'm posting the remake, which probably will be ready to post… by the end of summer? After I type everything up. Again, I'm sorry I haven't been paying much attention to Fanfiction, but I'm going to fix this.

Thank you for sticking with Chasing the Sun; I really appreciate all your support!

Thanks especially to B.D. Legan for being an awesome beta!

Nikki :)


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